Boston Public Library, Central Branch

Completed in 1895 by famed architects McKim, Mead, and White, the Central Library’s McKim building is known for its classical serenity and elegance. Featuring Bates Hall’s majestic barrel-arched ceiling, John Singer Sargent murals, and an interior courtyard, the building is a constant source of aesthetic surprise and satisfaction. The Central Library’s Johnson building reopened to the public in July 2016 after a multi-year renovation. Designed by William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc. the renovation preserved the integrity of architect Philip Johnson’s 1972 construction while making it more open and connected, removing plinths and walls to facilitate an open view of the mezzanine and first floor, and using a vibrant color scheme that draws on the McKim building.